Well, today I have a meeting with Ross Hart mp. I was really not to sure how this was really going to go. I did not know what to expect as an out come of this meeting. People might ask why? Labor is not in power at this time in Australia. Yes that is correct, but if you want something to change you go to someone who has the same values. I am beyond a Labor supporter in fact some might call me a socialist in my political leanings.

So lets get down to the meat of what happened. I am a person who can tell the type of person you are within a few minutes. First I judge your handshake, then how you talk with me not at me, then I judge the time you spent and last the promises you give. So let work through those with Mr. Hart and my meeting with him. I was greeted by his staff member Laura. She was a very nice and kind young lady. I might want to point out the Cis-gaze was the only issue with her. But to be honest it did not affect the way she treated me. She asked if I would like a water or coffee. I gladly took the offer of water. If you know me then you know my reasons for accepting water. It was served to me in a glass and was cold. Very refreshing and got the tick of my “Okay I might be listened to”. First impressions are important.
I waited for a few minutes but not to many to say that it was long. After all I was early, prompt means before the appointment time. Our time to meet was at 10am Mr. Hart at 9:55am came out of the meeting door. I was greeted warmly and with a firm but not overly masculine. In case you don’t know women shake hands differently than men. He even kindly opened the door to the meeting room for me and allowed me to enter in first. This was important to me, if you respect me I will give you all the respect you are due.
We began our conversation and I think he was not really expecting me to be like I am. He did start with what I did expected, the party line. To be honest if I was not a supporter of Labor I would not have been in his office. The party line is okay and here is why. If you don’t know where the common ground is you need to establish it. I did interrupt and change the need for him top continue his party line because I already knew it. We started to get down to the issues. After a few minutes I think I was able to express my issues clearly. He was kind and genuine in his responses. He kept clear eye contact. Let me tell you this as a Transwoman I have learned eye contact on a level I never wanted to. I have been in countless interviews where the interviewer cannot take the time to keep eye contact with me. I know at that point I don’t have the job. Mr. Hart did not have this problem the whole time direct eye contact was kept. Next we need to look at the promises that were given. Let be honest if you are going to tell me that you are going to try to help. I will hold you to it. He told me that he had a few contact at the Uni and my skills might be useful to them. Well we will see, to be honest I have heard this before. He asked for my Resume’ so I gave him my current one and we will see what happens next.
There are few things about time in a business settings. If you have to make appointments keep them in a reasonable time frame. Don’t make an appointment for 10am because you are a busy person and then talk to me for 2-3 hours. Mr. Hart did not let me down in that aspect. When we did have a good about of time to talk it was not beyond reason. I count that as a good thing.
Next he asked me to keep in touch with him. He did this 2 or 3 times and to me that means a lot. As I felt like it was sincere. We also talked about my writing and how it was going as well. This was important to me as my writing is a big part of me now. As our meeting ended within a reasonable time frame. He once again opened the door and we continued our conversation as he walked me out.

So where does this leave me……..hopeful. People need to know that single parents are doing it so very hard. Drop by drop our support to get out of our holes is getting harder. Then toss in the fact that being Transgender is the elephant in the room makes it ten times harder. I will agree to disagree with Labor on the Private Hospital expanse at the LGH. My reason for this is very simple it does not support one single lower income family. I at this time will not be able to benefit from this idea and I can’t see it helping my family as a whole and that includes my Ex (gulp). But maybe I am missing the bigger picture. But what I see is from a socialist view point where others less fortunate needs to be helped first.

I want to add in closing something that really broke my heart. It has nothing to do with Mr. Hart. As I was walking to his office, I for the first time in many many years saw a man sleeping in a door way on the cold concrete. I was so upset that I did not have 10 dollars to give him for a breakfast. I know he did not ask because he was still asleep. But it did not change my desire to lift someone who had it worse than I did. Because I don’t have any extra money could not help or else I would have…….Yet we waste as a government countless dollars on useless shit and give raises to those who don’t need it. While we rob the poor and disadvantaged to give tax breaks to big businesses.  All I could think about was the time when I was him. It still is breaking my heart as I write this……

Hey have a nice day and if you can help someone who is in need, thanks……